Vehicle wheel



L NI. MILLER.

VEHICLE WHEEL.

APPLlcAloN msn MAY 4. 1921.

Patented Novu 21, 11922 2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

1. Lvl. LL/LLLLER.

VEHICLE WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 4. 192|.

meme@ Nov, 2L, w22;

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

LALSQM@ J jui@ Patented Non'. 2l, i222.

1 fri re r lr wat?

'VEHICLE Tvll/"EIFFEL Application :lcf

a specilication.

@ne object of my invention is to do away with the necessity oi" employing pneumatic rubber tires on vehicles and thus eliminate trouble and expense caused by punctures, blow-outs and frequent changing and placement ot tires as is necessary when rubber tires are used.

Another object is to provide. an improved resilient vehicle wheel oil durable and strong construction which will readily absorb the shocks caused by the movementv of the ye-A hicle over a roadway and which will not require a rubberI or other resilient tire.

'llhese objects, and other advantageous ends which will be described hereinafter, l attain in the following manner, reerence being had to the accompanying drawings in which- Figure l is a side elevation showing a wheel made in accordance with iny invention,

Figure 2 is a section taken on the line 2 2 of Figure l,

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary side View or one or" the spokes illustrating1 its connection to the hub and rim,

Figure Ll is a top plan View of Figure 3,

Figure 5 is a section taken on the line 5 5 of Figure Il,

Figure 6 is a transverse section taken on the line 6 6 of Figure 3, and

Figure 7 is a fragmentary section of the sarne general character as shown in Figure 2 with certain of the parts made integral.

Referring to the drawings, my improved wheel includes a number et spolres 8 intel posed between the hub 9 and riin 10.

Since all the spokes and jtheir connections with the rim are preferably made of the saine construction7 it will be necessary to describe the construction of only one of said spokes.

Each of said spokes includes two opposed lugs 1l and l2 which are connected respectively to the hub 9 and rim l0 and it desired, as illustrated, these lugs may be made integral respectively with the hub and rim.

ser

Serial No. 466,330.

The lug ll has two guard tongues l?) at its sides which project outwardly beyond the surface le so as to provide space l5 between the inner side surfaces of the tongues and outward from the surface le. e 6G tongues 13 have outwardly tapering nds as e clearly shown in Figures l, 3 and 5 lor a purpose hereinafter described.

The lug l2 at its sides has guard tongues 16 which project inwardly beyond its surf1 l Y race li to provide a space 1.8 between the tongues; said tongues tapering as illustrated so that the pointed ends of the .o'uards i3 and i6 oppose each other on eacn side. These guards may either be made separate 7e pieces forming parts of the respective lugs and secured to the intermediate portions l8rl of the lugs by screws or other suitable deyices as shown at 19, or they may be made integral with the other portions ol the lugs as shown in Figure 7. 'y

Two strong and inflexible iilling pieces 20 and 2l, which are preferably inade oit elongated rectangular shape, slidably engage each other with the division 22 therebe- 80 tween preferably formed in a plane including the axis or' the hub when the wheel is in its normal position as clearly shown in ures 3 and 5. These filling pieces are preterably made of the same length, as illustrated, and it desired may be made of steel.

Two strip springs 23, which may be inadc or" strips of spring steel, are arranged at the topand bottoni ont the lugs; the ends of said springs being respectively secured to the top and bottoni ot said lugs preferably by rivets 24. These strip springs have parallel intermediate portions 25 and 26 which are respectively secured to the VFiller pieces 2O and 2l by rivets or other securing devices 27. 95 Eetween the intermediate portions 25 and 26 ot the springs 23 and the lugs il and l2, said springs are bent to provide loops 28. The ends of the liller pieces are uorniallyY spaced- 'from the surfaces lland 1"? ot the loo lugs ll and l2 so that if the hub 9 mores toward the rim l0 in line with the spolre, the spaces between said ller pieces and the lugs will be decreased and the loops 28 of the springs 23 will be compressed. Thus lo?) the springs 23 form weight-sustaining resilient members as clearly shown in Figure l when the spokes are under the hub Y9.

Strip springs 29 are secured to the outer faces or" the intermediate portions 25 and 116 of the springs 523 by the securing devices 2i; said springs 29 serving as guard springs and having bent end portions 30 in engagement with the side surfaces ot the loops 28. lhe springs 29 are of greater width than the springs 23 and are adapted to be engaged by the edge surfaces 31 of the tongues i3 and lo ij'or the purpose of resiliently resisting a sudden rotative power applied to the hub such for eXainple as the driving action at the hub when used on an :nitoinobile or other inotr driven vehicle. lfhus the spokes will iiesiliently absorb shocks due to the .veight ot a vehicle iniposed upon shocks due to the rotative inoveinent ot the heb relatively 'to the riin.

is a means tor strengthening the. loops at positions adjacent the hub and riin7 I ire. tbl-,i provide auxiliary strip springs and Ell which inay be respectively secured to the lugs il and l2 by the securing device fr as clearly illustrated in Figure 5. rlliese auxiliary springs 32 aiid 33 preferably have bent iiiiortions 'for engageinent with the opposite sides oit the loops 28 of the si'irings 23 so that the inner portions ot' said loops Q8 are mounted between the parts l SO and oit the guard springs 29 and auxiliary springs 352 and 33. lt will be noted that by providing the liller pieces 20 or 2l between the rigid and inflexible tongues 1.3 and 'lo that the spoke cannotbend laterally or sidewise but the construction suoli that the springs Z3 on each side of the spoke can 'flex at their loops independently,orl each other; the liller pieces merely sliding` on each other to perniit said independent lie);- ing.

ll'f desired the inner sur-lace ot the rini inay be provided with sectional strip springs between the spokes to add to the strength of the auxiliary springs.

l/Vhile l have described niy invention as taking a particular torni; it will be under stood that the various parts oit roy invention iay be changed without departing 'troni the spirit thereoit, and hence l do not liinit inysel to the precise construetion set iforth, but consider that l ain at liberty to inake such changes and alterations as 'fairly coine within the scope oi the appended claims.

Having thus described iny invention, what l claiin as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is l. il. resilient wheel having spokes interposed between the hub and the rim, said spokes :including opposed lugs secured to said hub and rin'i; springs spaced apart and connected between the lugs of said spokes,l said springs having loops formed within lnib and will also absoii'br spokes including opposed lugs secured to' said hub and riin; and resilient rneans including guard springs spaced apart and in connection between said lugs7 said lugs having guard tongues adapted to niove into contact withr said guard spring when said resilient ineaiis iiexes due to relative inovenient between the hub and the riin; substantially eis-described.

et. ri resilient wheel having spokes interposed between the hub and the rim, said spokes including opposed lugs secured to said hub and riin; springs spaced apart in connection between said .lugs and' having,

loops ifcrined within their lengths; riller pieces securedto the springs; and guard springs between said loops; said lugs having guard tongues at the side of saidA filler pieces and adapted to engage said guard` springs; substantially as described.

5. il resilient Wheel having spokes interposed between the hub and the rim, said spokes including opposed lugs secured-to said hub and riin springs spaced apart in ci'innection between said lugs and having loops formed guard springs between said loops and'having bent portions for engagement with said loops; substantially as described.

G. A. resilient wheel having spokes inten, posed between the hub .and the rim, said spokes including opposed lugs secured to vsaid hub and riiii; springs spaced apart in connection between said lugs and having loops formed within their lengths; guard springs between said loops and having bent portions forl engagement with said loops; and auxiliary springs secured to said lugs and having portions for engagement with said loops; substantially as described.

ln testimony whereof l have signed my naine to this speciiication in the presence ot two subscribing witnesses.

Janes M. Minnen.,

Witnesses ELIZABETH Grenen, (l1-nis. E. PoT'rs.

within their lengths; andk 

